Mark 5:21–43 (NLT)

²¹ Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore. ²² Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet, ²³ pleading fervently with him. “My little daughter is dying,” he said. “Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.”

²⁴ Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him. ²⁵ A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over 

the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. ²⁷ She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. ²⁸ For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

²⁹ Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

³⁰ Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?”

³¹ His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

³² But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. ³⁴ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

³⁵ While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

³⁶ But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just

have faith.”

³⁷ Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). ³⁸ When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. ³⁹ He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.”

⁴⁰ The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. ⁴¹ Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” ⁴² And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed. ⁴³ Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.

1. The woman who became a daughter.

A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years

“If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

Then the woman came and fell at his feet.

Daughter your faith has made you well.

◾ 12 ◾ Desperation   ◾ Faith

2. The daughter who came back to life.

“When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet… My little daughter is dying.

Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live.”

Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.

And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up.

◾ 12 ◾ Desperation   ◾ Faith

3. The disciples who learned to follow Jesus.

“Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask,

Who touched me?’ ”

Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John

They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.

◾ Surprise ◾ Stories

• Establishing and nurturing a relationship with God through Jesus.

God, thank you for showing yourself to me. Jesus, I turn to you, admit I need you, and ask you to enter my heart by faith. By your Spirit, restore my heart with your forgiveness; help me to hear your voice and know your love. Gather me with others to worship and serve you; to nurture our faith and shine your light in the world. Thank you for calling me your child. Amen.

For next week: Read Mark 6 and journal on Mark 6:6-13. Follow the format of Observation, Reflection andPrayer as outlined on the Come With Me card and using your Mark journal. Download the Filament App for Mark as you study the passage in your time alone with God each day.

REFLECT TOGETHER ON SUNDAY’S MESSAGE 

• Gather together with prayer and time of conversation, sharing, or even an ice-breaker.
• Review the main points from the sermon outline.
• Share with one another as a whole group or in smaller groups, using these prompts only as suggestion: 
• Which of the stories of healing in Mark 5:21-43 most deeply impacted you?
• What image or words from the message have stuck with you?
• How is God preparing your heart this Lenten season through the “Come with Me” series? 

CONNECT WITH GOD (Select the below practice or choose a practice from the previous week.)

• Encountering Shalom 

Shalom is the Hebrew word for wholeness and peace. Below you will find the definition of “Shalom” from our All-Church Spiritual Formation Retreat. Read it and spend time in quiet contemplation before sharing with one another. 

• Before reading the quote below, prepare your heart and mind by slowing down. Breathe slowly and deeply in and out. As you pay attention to the gift of breath, ask God to draw near and quiet your inner and outer life so that you may truly hear the Spirit. Welcome a time of silence.
• When you’re ready, read the quote below, and pray: “God, I long for shalom in my life and in the lives of others. Help me imagine a life marked by shalom. 

“Shalom is holistic and complete well-being, wholeness, health, safety, harmony, flourishing, and abundance, the perfection of God’s creation. It is when the image of God is recognized, protected, and cultivated in every single human and all of creation. Shalom is our calling as followers of Jesus, the vision of God set forth in the Garden, and the restoration

God desires for every broken relationship.”

• Listen. Wait. And Listen again. Let the Spirit guide you as you imagine what shalom could look like in your own life, relationships, and community. 
• After the spiritual practice, share your experiences of the practice of “encountering shalom.”

CONNECT WITH SCRIPTURE (As a reminder: this is the Bible passage for the week of March 3/Community Serve Day) 

• Read: Mark 6:1-13 and pay particular attention to Mark 6:7-13.
• Use the “Come with Me” card, along with your Mark Bible Journal to engage with the Scripture passage for the coming week. 
• Observe: Dig into the scripture through doodling, highlighting, note-taking. Pay attention to words or phrases that seem important or raise questions for you. 
• Meditate: Slow down. Read Mark 6:1-13 again and engage your imagination and senses to connect to the passage. Reflect on your experience in your journal. 
• Pray: What prayer of praise, gratitude, or confession arises from your heart and mind as you meditate on this passage? 
• Together: Watch the video clip from The Chosen below.
• Reflect on the passage and the video together in pairs or as a whole group: 
• How do the disciples react to Jesus sending them in The Chosen clip? What about you?
• How are you responding to the call of Jesus in your own life and community? 

DIG DEEPER (Select 1-2 questions or customize the questions for your group)

• What is Jesus calling the disciples to do and where is he calling them to go? 
• What is the message they are told to share? (v. 12) 
• What does Jesus tell the disciples to do if someone does not listen to their words? (v. 11)

PREPARING FOR COMMUNITY SERVE DAY (select at least one question for discussion) 

• How is Jesus preparing you and sending you out into the world– into your neighborhoods, local communities, and even farther? 
• How is the pursuit of Shalom (wholeness and well-being) a part of the work of Community Serve Day? 

NEXT STEPS 

• Read Mark 6. Observe. Meditate. Pray.

PRAYER 

Pray for Community Serve Day. Pray that SBPC witnesses to God’s kingdom through service and love of neighbor. Pray specifically for your sites. Then close your prayer by saying together: “Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Amen.”